The invention relates to wireless communication systems and more particularly to a method and system for providing subscriber-configurable communications service for mobile stations.
A wireless data server extends data messaging to users of a wireless communication system. The conventional wireless data server supports message notification, delivery and redirection mechanisms for mobile subscribers. However, the conventional wireless data server often lacks flexibility concerning the manner in which services are offered. For instance, the service provider may completely dictate the scope of offered services, rather than allowing a subscriber to configure data services associated with the wireless data server, for various technical reasons. Subscribers may generally lack the technical sophistication to properly configure data services in a manner that is compatible with the sound technical operation of the underlying wireless communication system. Providing the subscribers with tools to configure services may negatively impact traffic capacity available for other subscribers on the underlying wireless system. Thus, a need exists for providing user-configurable communications service to wireless subscribers.
In the prior art, a client, such as a computer station, may be coupled to a communications network (e.g., the internet). A client-resident program may filter e-mail upon receipt at the client after the service provider has delivered the message to the client over the communications network. For example, the program may selectively forward, delete, or move incoming e-mail from one electronic folder to another after being triggered by an incoming message. Similarly, a client-resident program may filter a message or an undesired portion of a message based on an assessment of the content of the message. If the client is a wireless terminal or mobile station, the receipt and processing of unwanted data messages (e.g., e-mails) tends to detract from the longevity of each battery charge of the mobile station. The undesired incoming data messages not only impact customer satisfaction because available transmit (e.g., talk) time is reduced, the undesired incoming data messages detract from the potential capacity of the communications network (e.g., internet).
However, the service provider may monitor and delete incoming messages from blacklisted internet protocol (IP) domains before the incoming messages are delivered to the client, to reduce traffic over the communications network. Accordingly, the service provider is burdened with the responsibility of continually selecting and updating blacklisted IP domains for filtering under such an approach. Further, the service provider needs to make a judgment about what IP domains should be blacklisted, rather than leaving the decision up to the discretion of the subscriber. The service provider is placed in the awkward and controversial position of censuring content that is desired by certain subscribers and not others. Thus, a need exists for a filtering mechanism that may reduce traffic over the telecommunications network, while delivering desired messages to subscribers on a custom or preferential basis under the subscribers"" discretion.
Another filtering approach which has been widely used for internet applications is the subscription authorization. A subscriber can subscribe or unsubscribe to an e-mail mailing list which forwards messages to the user on a regular basis or otherwise. The subscriber must actively subscribe and unsubscribe to the e-mail list. However, if the subscriber lacks technical sophistication or if the content provider makes unsubscribing difficult to promote its own commercial interests, the subscriber may be unable to stop the undesired flow of e-mail from a subscription list. Thus, there is a need for an alternative to subscription lists which allows an unsophisticated subscriber to readily and simply control the content of received data messages.
In accordance with the invention, a method and system for providing configurable communications services for mobile stations allows a subscriber to readily control the delivery of one or more data messages addressed to a mobile station and the parameters of one or more data messages received at the mobile station. The parameters may include the type and format of the data message, for example. The method includes establishing an active profile associated with a corresponding mobile station. The active profile may be variable in response to a triggering event. A wireless data server receives a data message addressed to the mobile station. The active profile for the mobile station is accessed upon or after the receipt of the data message at the wireless data server to determine applicable stored profile attributes of the established active profile. The wireless data server detects received profile attributes associated with the received data message. The received data message is filtered in real-time based on a comparison between the detected profile attributes and the stored profile attributes.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the wireless data server automatically changes the active profile upon the occurrence of a triggering event to alter the filtering of one or more data messages addressed to the mobile station. The subscriber may select one or more triggering events and affiliated consequences in advance of the receipt of data messages. A triggering event may include changing location of the mobile station, the expiration of a timer associated with the mobile station, changing an available transport option of the air interface for the mobile station (e.g., transition from digital to analog service at a particular time), or otherwise. Affiliated consequences include transmission of a complete data message to the mobile station, blocking the transmission of a data message to the mobile station, deleting a data message addressed to the mobile station, or filtering content of a data message addressed to a mobile station in a desired way.